Capetonians have been encouraged to use water sparingly as we enter the hot summer season.
According to the City of Cape Town dam levels are currently 15% lower than at the same time last year. This is because Cape Town experienced below-average rainfall this year, the municipality said in a statement issued on Thursday (4 December).
The Department of Water and Sanitation were asking people to be water-wise this summer, and requests that the water usage be kept below 975 million litres per day.
“As we head into hot summer days, we have already seen a spike in water use at certain points,” said Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for Water and Sanitation. “Consumption recently reached 1 000 million litres of water used in a day, compared to the average 850 million litres.
“The main driver of peak water demand, based on previous years, is outdoor use particularly for garden irrigation and topping up swimming pools. The proactive water savings target is published weekly as a way of keeping us all accountable to use water wisely.”
He said wise outdoor use of water, fixing leaks and complying with permanent regulations are key ways to save water.
“City teams will also continue to action our own programmes to ensure we save water too with our infrastructure.”
Currently, the main dams supplying Cape Town are about 79,4%. While there is no immediate reason for concern, it is vital for all of us to proactively monitor and manage our water use over the coming months, the City says. This is particularly important for Cape Town this summer, in the face of unpredictable rainfall in 2026.
Badroodien said in October this year the City’s weekly water dashboard shifted to an “early drought caution”.
This does not mean a drought is confirmed, but it indicates signals of a possible drought cycle emerging. It allows the City to prepare early by activating internal response committees, prioritising repairs and maintenance and working closely with the national department of water and sanitation to ensure that the water system remains well balanced, Badroodien said.
To manage water use proactively the City is urging residents and businesses to all help keep the collective water usage below 975 million litres per day.
